The Television Show Every American Should Watch

Mr. Bruni is a contributing Opinion writer who was on the staff of The Times for more than 25 years.

I have read extensively and written occasionally about treatments from which our ailing country might benefit. Perhaps we should fashion a sweeping new national service program. Maybe establish open primaries and ranked-choice voting in more states.

Here’s something smaller, easier, doable tonight. You want a healthier America? Watch “The Pitt.”

It’s the medical drama, streaming on Max, that won a bunch of Emmy Awards last year and has an intriguing real-time conceit, with each of a season’s 15 episodes representing a consecutive hour in one day at an overwhelmed Pittsburgh emergency room.

The second season is almost halfway done and feels even more relevant than the first. It’s also more open about its desire to be a mirror for a nation in need of help. To that end, this season takes place on America’s birthday, the Fourth of July. No subtlety there. In fact, my one major quibble is how blunt the show’s messaging can be.

But that doesn’t make “The Pitt” any less important. It’s an empathy exam. It’s a civics lesson. Above all, it’s a study of people under intense pressure — as they are when a pulse is fading, or when a nation is fraying — and the importance of muddling through and making things better, no matter the odds, no matter the obstacles.

I’m hardly the first observer to recognize its interest in being both American microcosm and American parable, nor is this the first time I myself have recognized that. I wrote last year that the show’s depiction of a drained, imperfect enterprise that gets by on last-minute fixes rather than permanent solutions felt awfully familiar.

But the current season seems even more intent on setting that enterprise straight. Details follow, as do spoilers. Skip to the next section of this newsletter if you want to avoid them.

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Frank Bruni is a professor of journalism and public policy at Duke University, the author of the book “The Age of Grievance” and a contributing Opinion writer. He writes a weekly email newsletter.  Instagram  Threads  @FrankBruni • Facebook

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